The Change in Agent Washington
by glittering wolf
Summary: Agent Washington isn't the same man he once was.
1. South

**South didn't think that Wash would really shoot her, little did she know that this wasn't the Wash she remembered.**

* * *

He wouldn't shoot her.

That wasn't him. That wasn't Agent Washington

The Wash that she remembered back from Project Freelancer was too nice for that, too weak. The Wash she knew wasn't the type to just murder someone in cold blood.

True she did shoot him in the back, but Wash wasn't really the type of person to hold a grudge.

He was the stupid little kid of the freelancer bunch. Younger and inexperienced.

He was the obedient little follower of the group, and even though she hadn't checked the rule book in a long time, she was pretty sure team killing was against protocol.

'Why is he even here?' she wondered. She knew he was Recovery One. Though that was more because there was absolutely no one left to be Recovery One besides him.

He was supposed to be locked away somewhere. Wearing a straightjacket. The AI Epsilon, that stupid AI that he had been chosen for over her, had self-destructed in his head.

There was no way that he could come back from that. No way that he could still be functioning like a normal person.

"Oh come on, Wash," she said. "What are you going to do, shoot-" she didn't even finish the sentence, Wash fired a round into her head.

This was not the same Washington she remembered.

* * *

**This is just a series of one-shots that I decided to write about how much Wash changed from Project Freelancer, told from different characters point of view. It's probably not that good, but it's my first RedvsBlue fic so be nice and please reveiw. Tell me in your review if there's a particular character that you want me to write a chapter for in this fic.**


	2. Delta

**Wahoo! I got my second chapter out already! I feel like such a badass! **

**I do not own anything, it all belongs to the awesome guys at Rooster Teeth. **

**Thank you to all the people who liked my story. I hope that you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

_He almost didn't recognize him._

He was so different.

It had been years since either he or York had had contact with anything to do with the project, but Wash was too different.

He remembered back from when everything was simple. When he and York were not constantly on the run.

That Agent Washington had been, relaxed, fun-loving, only taking things seriously when the situation called for it.

He had been so easy to tease, and mess with. Now he seemed to be the type that you don't want to mess with.

Though the main reason that Delta hadn't recognized Agent Washington, would have to be the agent's apathy.

"How could Agent Washington stand over York's dead body and be so indifferent?" Delta thought to himself. He himself, and AI fragment, with no other feeling in his programing besides the logic that he was, felt some remorse at his partner's death. How could this man, who for many years was York's friend, be so cold and uncaring?

Back in the day, he and York were friends. Laughing and joking around with each other. The fought with each, watched each other's backs.

And he just stood there calmly talking to him in a tone one might use to talk about the weather.

York even made attempts to calm him down about Agent Washington's AI implantation. His AI implantation…

It was no secret to Delta what had happened with Agent Washington's AI Epsilon. His brother had gone mad, and self-destructed inside of the agent's head.

The results hadn't been good for Agent Washington. He had gone second-hand mad, unable to distinguish the AI's derailing thoughts from his own, and whatever sanity that the man had managed to preserve, had been wiped out in the explosion.

It was the agent's steadfast refusal to have Delta implanted into his AI unit that it finally clicked in Delta's mind who he was.

Agent Washington had stated many times while in recovery that he would never let another AI near his head. It hadn't seemed to matter at the time. There was little chance that he would ever be allowed anywhere outside of a padded room. Let alone anywhere that might require the use of an AI.

"I don't do that" the agent said bitterly.

Inside Delta's mind, it just clicked. "Are you Agent Washington?" he asked evenly, logic knowing for sure what the answer would be.

"That's me."

For some strange reason, this saddened Delta. He had already lost Agent New York, a man that he had found some feelings in his data banks that might be akin to friendship, was already gone. Dead, never to be brought back.

Now it felt as though, he had lost a man that was closest thing to those peaceful days before the AI implantation program had caused the entire project to come crashing down in flames.

The one that was the closest thing that he could have to his fallen partner, was gone as well.

From then on Delta talked to Agent Washington as if he were talking to just another operative. A stranger.

Agent Washington seemed to return the sentiments. It seemed that he did not remember much of Delta either.

The Agent Washington that Delta had known. The one who was kind and naïve. The one who was friends with Agent York, was gone.

Only to be replaced by this cold, unfeeling stranger.


	3. Carolina

**Copyright whatever...don't own anything.**

**Wahoo! Another chapter! Should actually be doing math homework, but whatever! I hope that you like this chapter. Carolina was an interesting chapter to write. If it needs improvement you think, review and tell me about it and I will try and make it better. If you're just a troll who enjoys being mean, suck it!**

* * *

Can't he see how important this mission is?

He of all people should know why the director needs to go down. The only people that can possibly understand how important this mission is would be him, herself, and, now that she realized it, Church.

These idiots. These Reds and Blues. They don't know anything. All that they've ever had to deal with is their stupid simulation fights. They were a bunch of rejects that weren't even good enough to be actual soldiers.

Not like North, South, Wyoming, or Maine. They weren't like Wash, York, or herself. They weren't actual soldiers who had given so much more than their lives to fight and make the world safe for the likes of them.

And here Wash was, actually trying to get her to slow down their mission just so those idiots could be comfortable! As if they were on a road trip!

She just didn't understand what was with Wash.

In a way, he was the same Wash she remembered before Eta and Iota, those damned AI that she had been so eager to put in her head, had stolen her sanity from her and left her in a comatose state for so long.

He was still the obedient soldier. The one who followed orders well. He still listened to her directives, he still called her boss. He still had that omeganess about him that seemed so familiar to her.

In a way, he was the only part of her past that was still intact. The only part of her past that wasn't marred by the director. But now she wasn't so sure how intact that piece of her past was. He was off.

Once she was ready and able, she had done her research. She knew that Maine was the Meta. That he was that way because of her damn AI Sigma.

She knew that as the Meta, Maine had killed North and countless others. She knew about South's betrayal, how she had shot Wash in the back and stolen Delta. She knew that South had apparently been killed by that blue idiot.

Apparently their computers had a whole file dedicated to his kills.

She found out that York, had been killed by Wyoming, while he was trying to help Tex. The very thought made her blood boil, but she tried not to think about that.

Most of all, she had found out what had happened to Wash.

His fate had been similar to her own. He had had an AI implanted into his head. That AI had had caused him to go insane. They had him locked up for a while.

They never intended to let him out. But the Meta had killed off many of their agents, they had no other reserves.

They let him out so that he could continue their work, never even suspecting that he was working to bring down the project. He succeeded, and the thanks he got was a jail cell.

She wasn't sure how, the records were blank after his arrest file. But he had gotten out. She had found him while she was looking for anyone who might have ties to the Alpha.

And she had found him, decked out in blue armor. Now apparently in charge of the blue idiots.

She was glad to have found him. She probably would not have been able to handle either of those idiotic teams long, but he had helped her deal with them, and helped her get Church out of the hole that they had hidden him in.

Wash had seemed different though.

Whenever they would go on missions back in the day, he hadn't been this tense. He hadn't been this down. He had always seemed more lighthearted and upbeat. He was serious when he had to be, but even then, it was nothing like he was now.

Though she hated to have the thought, he was kind of like the Reds and Blues that now kept their company. Laughing and joking with her and York. Making stupid comments that showed just how new to the whole 'freelancer' business he was. Needing to be saved by her multiple times because he would get distracted or feared ending up like Georgia.

He never seemed to laugh or make jokes like he used to. He didn't have that odd sense of nativity that used to just be Wash.

In a way, that was just fine for Carolina. Now was not the time to make jokes, or make friends. Now was not the time for any stupid mistakes caused by stupid people.

This mission was serious and should be treated as such.

He still followed her orders. That's what was important, but he actually seemed reluctant and resentful about them moving off.

He actually seemed more concerned about how these idiots might feel leaving a bunch of useless bases, than about avenging their fallen teammates.

Their friends, North, York, CT.

On getting revenge on the man who had caused him to lose all of his carefree innocence, his joking and happiness, and turn him into the cold unfeeling man he was today.

Had these idiots made him go soft?

Was he trying to fool himself into thinking that he could trust these morons? Be their friends? Had he forgotten that they had a team of the best soldiers? That they couldn't even trust those people who were closest to them? The people who were actually their friends, not these idiots who didn't even seems to be friends with each other most of the time?

Did he really think that these morons, these morons who couldn't even seem to remember how to shoot a gun half the time. These idiots who treated a war, even if it was a fake pointless war to help train those better than them, like a stupid game of capture the flag, could be trusted?

No, she would see to it that this mission would be complete.

Then maybe, after the director was finally in the ground where he belonged, things could go back to normal. Things could be simple again. Happy again.

Yes, she and these idiots would see this mission completed, whether they wanted to or not.

She would make Wash realize the importance of what they were doing. He didn't seem to care anymore, he seemed to have forgotten.

Forgotten the importance of what they were doing.


	4. Simmons

**Another chapter out. Wahoo! This chapter was kinda hard to write, I think I may have totally pegged Simmons all wrong, but after watching seson 7, I wanted to make this chapter so bad, and I like it. If you like the story, you should review, if you don't like it, you should flame. Just make sure to have plenty of swears in it so that it can at least be fun to read. I own nothing. Rooster Teeth does.**

* * *

_He shot Donut._

Those were the only words that passed through the maroon soldier's head as he was dragged, quite painfully, towards blue base where his fate seemed no better than that of Donut or Lopez.

What Simmons couldn't understand was. Why?

Why did Agent Washington shoot Donut? He didn't have too. Yeah he was a freelancer, and freelancers were always scary badasses who took any measure to get what they wanted, but he had really thought that in the time that Washington had spent with him and the rest of the crew from bloodgulch, they had become friends.

Or well, as close to friends as any of them were from that goddamned canyon.

They would have helped him if he asked, they kinda owed him anyway.

When he first met Washington, he hadn't though much of him. All that Simmons had known was that Sarge said Command had sent them an urgent message saying that Agent Washington was reforming the blues.

That hadn't seemed good so they had found his location and attacked.

Now if they had attacked Tex, that chick in black armor that seemed to be a part of blue team, she would have kicked their asses so fast and so hard they wouldn't have even had time to think 'This doesn't seem physically possible.'

Wash hadn't done that. He had actually tried to make peace with them. Granted that was so they could actually continue fighting the Meta, but it was still better than what Tex would have probably done in the situation.

Simmons had taken to his take charge attitude right away. Simmons liked to be told what to do, and with the way Grif and Sarge had been leading lately, it was nice to finally have someone competent calling the shots.

Simmons had actually been worried when Wash had to go fight the Meta alone. He'd actually gotten pissed that Church was refusing to help him. After all, the freelancer was their friend. He had saved them when they were being attacked trying to steal a car back in Valhalla. It only seemed fair that they returned the favor.

Simmons had felt so relieved when he saw Wash. The Meta had them cornered and it had seemed they were doomed. That was when Wash had shown up. Simmons had thought they were saved.

Then, instead of fighting, Wash had started talking to the Meta. Telling him to stand down and let him handle this.

Simmons had felt confused. Why weren't they fighting? The Meta was a bad guy and Agent Washington was a good guy. That was how it worked. Why were they talking as if they were on the same mission, the same side?

Before Simmons could properly figure out what the hell was going on, Washington told them to give it to him.

Simmons didn't understand. Neither did Donut or Lopez. _'What was Wash talking about?'_

"The epsilon unit, I know you have it. Give it to me." Wash said his voice harsh.

Lopez muttered something incomprehensible in Spanish while Simmons just questioned again why Wash was with the Meta. They were enemies, right? And Wash was on their side, wasn't he?

Agent Washington was apparently out of patience. Out of these three idiots, he knew which one would be the most useful to his search.

He pulled out his gun and shot the brown one first. While the pink one was screaming about how he just shot Lopez, he fired a shot at him as well, breaking the window of the car behind him.

Simmons stared at Donut in horror, holding his breath. Hoping that, what he thought, hadn't just happened.

"Donut?" he asked tentatively, fear for his friend creeping in the back of his mind.

"Hey... Simmons? I think he shot me too..." was all that the pink soldier managed to say.

Donut fell to the ground. Simmons screamed and leaned over his friend, hoping that he might still be alive.

"Why did you do that, what's wrong with you?" Simmons asked. _'I thought you were our friend. That we could trust you.'_ He thought.

Simmons still leaned over his fallen friend, desperately calling his name, begging him to be all right. Donut never seemed to die, why should he start now?

"Don't just stand there help me!" he yelled, this time directed at the man whom he thought was their friend.

Washington didn't answer. He just pointed his gun as the Meta began to drag Simmons off towards Blue base.

"Once you get inside call for a medic." Wash told the maroon solider, his tone threatening.

For a moment Simmons had a brief glimmer of hope. His eyes darted towards where Donut lay shot and wounded. Not moving.

_'Maybe Wash does still care.'_ Simmons dared to think.

His hopes were soon dashed.

"We need someone to check the Meta, besides it might be useful to have a medic hostage."

Simmons just nodded his head, fearing he might end up like Lopez or Donut if he didn't.

Then he was left alone with his thoughts of what could have possibly happened to the man he thought was their friend.


	5. Caboose

**I did another bloodgulcher. Caboose was hard to write for at the same time he was easy to, so if you think he was too OOC or if I didn't write him just write, please tell me. As always I own nothing, review the story or I will get you.**

* * *

They were friends.

Why did Agent Washing-Tub seem so surprised when he said they were friends? It wasn't hard to figure out. It wasn't like a math problem, it was obvious.

They were best friends, well second best friends. Church was back now, so now Agent Washington was like his second best friend, but that didn't make him any less of a friend.

Caboose wasn't sure what to think about Agent Washington at first. To be honest, thinking hurt and he tried not to do that too much. Church usually did the thinking for him.

The grey man had just come to tell him that someone from his family had died, but then it turned out that no one died, and he just went with the nice soldier from command to go find Church.

Agent Washington was a very boring travel companion he kept asking questions like, "You're sure this guy can help? Were you dropped on your head as a baby?" But he was nice and didn't hit him and tell him to shut up like Church would have.

Then he had invited Caboose's all-time best friend Church to come on the mission! They went to go find Tex!

However, Agent Washington kept talking to Shelia like she was a computer. Nobody talked to his girlfriend…girl who was a friend…that way! Agent Washington seemed to understand later though and referred to her as a she after that.

Caboose soon realized that Agent Washington could be scary, like the mean lady in black armor that would always beat them up. He shot that purple lady in the head just for shooting somebody in the back which everybody knows is not that big of a deal and sometimes happens, but it's nobody's fault.

Agent Washington made up for it because he gave Caboose a shiny green thing! It was kinda like the Omega AI thing that had been in his head that one time. Except this was didn't do mean things to people, he just talked a lot.

The present was short lived. The scary white monster thing shot Caboose and took his shiny green friend away. Caboose was alright though. Agent Washington healed his wounds and made him all better using his magic medicine machine.

Agent Washington soon found more of caboose's friends and took them on the adventure too. He even listened to Caboose's ideas!

Then he took Church and gave Caboose something that he called the Epsilon Unit and told him to take it far, far away from her. He and Church would go fight the scary white monster, and bring down the evil Project Freelancer.

The EMP had gone off and Caboose had made it back to base, ready to build his new super best friend, just like Agent Washington said he should.

When he needed help, he knew just who to call. Agent Washington.

After the blast went off, he didn't think about Agent Washington. He was probably given a shiny medal or something. Maybe a party. After all, he took down that evil place that tortured his best friend. Command had to give him something for that.

And it was all because they helped him. Agent Washington would surely help them get Tucker out of the sand in return. Maybe he could even help put together the new Church.

Caboose was a little sad for his friend. He may have had a lot more metal in his life now, but he didn't get a shiny new base. He said that he wouldn't even be able to come help with Tucker or the sand and maybe share the new base with Caboose.

But that was okay. Caboose was sure that wherever Agent Washington was now. It was a better place.

Caboose had finally gotten everything fixed when Tucker and them started talking about Agent Washington.

Caboose just didn't understand why he would be working with the scary monster to kidnap Church, or why he would shoot Admiral Butter Biscuit. They were friends after all.

After hearing the recovery beacon, Caboose had joined the other to go save Church and Tex. They ended up saving Agent Washington instead. He was going to save Tex from the prison if Church came with him. _"That was nice of him."_ Caboose guessed.

Then the evil monster had attacked again. Agent Washington had helped save them. He gave Sarge the tow hook, and the monster had gone over the cliff. It was great.

But then, it wasn't so great. Church had gone into the unit, and now he was stuck in there. Caboose had been mourning. His best friend was dead. Gone forever. And this time, there was no way to get him back.

Caboose didn't even think about Agent Washington until he heard Doc screeching, "You shouldn't be getting up. I don't care if you have a healing unit, sit down and rest. You took quite an ass kicking."

Caboose looked over at the grey soldier. He was alive after all. That mean Sargent guy had said that he wouldn't make it.

Suddenly Caboose had a great idea. He had to ask Tucker about a million times, but the teal soldier had finally said yes. Agent Washington could be they're new Church.

Agent Washington had seemed wary about the offer. Why the hell would they allow him on the team. But dealing with these morons was better than going to jail. So he agreed.

He had done a pretty good job, not that he go to do much before Carolina showed up and seized control over both teams.

However he had been nice. He had let Caboose call him Church, let him sing Happy Birthday to him, and all around use him to replace Church as Caboose's best friend.

It wasn't his fault that he followed the mean lady.

Caboose didn't understand why Agent Washington didn't think they were friends. Maybe it was because he was kinda mean again. But that was okay. Agent Washington had gone mean before. Yet he still helped them when they needed him. He was just going through the cycle again.

Agent Washington, despite his mistakes and sometimes meanness, was still their friend. He would always be their friend.

And Caboose could not understand why the man didn't see it himself.


	6. Sarge

**Episode 18 was epic. Feeling so emotional right now. Might make a few chapters just for that one moment! I got a request for Sarge so here it is. I might actually do a Carolina pt2 next. What do you guys think? Hope you enjoy this chapter. I own nothing. Review or I will go insane.**

* * *

He just couldn't believe it.

That freelancer, Agent Washington, just defended them.

That Carolina chick was crazy. All she wanted was revenge on some man that none of them even knew. And she was willing to sacrifice each and every one of them to do it. It would be all right if it was just Grif, but she was talking all of them.

She seemed prepared to shoot that dirty blue, Tucker. Hell, she probably would have tried to shoot them all just because they had refused her orders.

What she didn't know was that Sarge wouldn't listen to some crazy freelancer chick in blue armor. He wasn't going to die just so she could continue on with some crazed plan that wouldn't fix anything.

Wash had stopped her though, he said that he wouldn't let her hurt his friends.

Sarge had to stop and think about how the man that they weren't supposed to trust was their friend.

He hadn't liked him from the get-go.

Some fancy-pants soldier walks over from blue base. Sarge was almost certain he was a blue.

He caught the enemy by surprise, he could have shot him right then and there, but that wouldn't be very sporting. He decided to try and get him to repent his blue ways first, then shoot him.

The grey soldier, however, said that he was from command. And all he wanted was to know where that blue idiot Caboose went. Maybe he wanted to shoot him! That was what Sarge wanted to do.

So, he handed over the relocation orders to the man, and he went off on his merry way. It wasn't until later that Sarge received the message from command.

Agent Washington had reformed the blue team! He knew that man was a dirty blue! He could sense it in his blood.

Sarge hopped in the puma….Warthog. _'Goddammit Grif!'_ and went off to find his boys so that they could take down that dirty blue once and for all!

After dealing with invisible sergeants, insubordination, some weird white soldier thing, and much Grif bashing, Sarge somehow found himself involved in whatever the hell those damn blues had gotten themselves into. Again.

Then that grey freelancer, who was apparently once again not a blue, started trying to order them on a mission. Wouldn't even tell them his rank. Just kept saying he was a freelancer.

He wasn't too bad though. In order to get them to come along, he had helped him deliver the single greatest insult to Grif of all time. Minor Junior Private Negative First Class, that would never get old. He may have just doomed his whole team to certain death, but at least they could die laughing at Grif's humiliation. It was the best way to die.

_'Agent Washington was a brave soldier,'_ Sarge thought, he was going to take on the Meta with only that blue ghost to help him, and they all knew what a lousy shot he was. They felt the EMP go off, and they knew that he had succeeded.

Sarge didn't think about Washington after that. He had sacrificed himself for the good of the mission. That was all there was to it. No need to get all wussy about it. He was just gone.

Or so he thought. Once Simmons sent them that distress call, there was no time to think about Wash being their friend, or even that he was alive. They had to get Simmons back, and maybe Doc, if there was time.

It gave the red soldier such satisfaction to blow that grey soldier sky high. Even if he did mess up his one liner.

However, Wash didn't stay blown up, none of their enemies ever seemed to. They only barely managed to get away. Though he'd never admit it was because of one of Grif's plans, or that they were helped by a blue.

They got away and followed those blues to some weird base. There they had the misfortune to run into that crazy black armored chick. She kicked their asses, but it was only because he refused to hit a girl!

Some digging revealed that they were all jokes. They weren't' an army. They were cannon fodder. That was supposed to be Grif's job, not his. He was crushed.

However, the red Sargent was not crushed enough that he would allow Project Freelancer to get away with any more shit. They were going to save Church and Tex, even if one was a blue and the other was a crazy bitch.

They arrived just in time to save Wash from being finished off. He thought they had beaten the Meta, but apparently none of their enemies ever stayed gone. They would have been goners if it hadn't been for Wash's tow hook and his brilliant leader skills, of course.

Just while he was getting over the disappointment that Grif wasn't actually dead, that traitorous freelancer was allowed to pretend to be on the blue team.

Fine with him, now blue team sucked even worse than it already did.

He wouldn't trust him though. Not again. He just wasn't a man to be trusted.

As if one wasn't enough, he and everyone else were soon dragged on some crazy-ass mission with yet another freelancer. For an organization that was supposedly dead, they sure had a lot of members roaming around.

They rescued that annoying ghost and went off to find the Director.

Sarge had to stop himself from laughing at that bluetard ghost's face when he said Wash couldn't be trusted. Where was he four adventures ago? They already knew that Wash couldn't be trusted.

They were finally home. They had even found Donut and Doc, alive and well. Still annoying as ever. Sarge could find no reason for them to continue on their mission. They were home. They should stay.

Carolina didn't take that well. She was beating out that black freelancer for craziest bitch. She pointed her weapon at Tucker.

Sarge felt his hand tighten around his shotgun. There was no way that he would let that nut job shoot anyone. No matter how much he hated him.

Well maybe Grif.

Turns out that was unnecessary. Wash beat him to hit.

"Don't do that." He said. "Wash, what are you doing?" Carolina asked incredulously. Disbelief in her voice. "Protecting my friends. Now lower the weapon."

_'Friends?'_ Sarge thought as dumbfounded by the events as everyone else surely was.

With that, Sarge and the rest of his team walked out of the room, leaving Church and Carolina behind.

_'Maybe we can trust Wash,'_ Sarge thought. _'Even if he was a dirty blue now.'_

He always knew he was a blue!


	7. Carolina 2

**I own nothing. I did a Carolina part 2 because the 18th episode was so full of epicness and character development. Review this story and you will be filled with awesome.**

* * *

_'He's siding with them?'_

Carolina could not believe it. Wash was siding with them. Those idiots, over her? What was happening?

They found the Director, Wash should be ecstatic. He should want revenge! He should want to help in any way possible, not stay here because those idiots are his "friends".

Those pathetic excuses for soldiers aren't his friends! Their friends were dead. Gone forever. Taken by a man who cared more about his experiments than the safety of the soldiers who swore to serve him and his cause. A man who treated them more like lab rats than people.

She was the only one left! She was his only friend that was still alive! They should be working together to get revenge on that son of a bitch.

Instead, he tells her to leave. To go face the ghosts, who were just as much his as they were hers, alone.

She thought York, North, and her were his friends. She thought that his loyalties would lie with them. That he would do whatever it took to get revenge, not for himself, but for his friends.

Apparently he had replaced them. His loyalties now lay with a bunch of rejects. A bunch of rejects that didn't even want to help their cause in the first place.

They should be honored to help fight in this mission. They might as well take a break from their pointless pretend fights and help with something that actually matters.

_'What happened to you Wash?'_ Carolina thought. _'You were always such a good soldier. You cared about your friends. You trusted my judgment. You followed me wherever because you trusted me, and I trusted you to help in any way that you could.'_

They trusted each other. They were friends. Those soldiers, if she could even call them that, weren't their friends. They shouldn't be.

They had no idea what it's like to trust someone. To think that you're doing the right thing, only to discover that the man whom you thought gave you everything was destroying you and everything that you held dear. Turning you against your friends and making you sacrifice everything to meet his goals.

They had no idea what it felt like to lose the ones that you cared most about and be left alone with nothing. Without a home, a job, your friends, your innocence, even your name. To have that all taken from you was horrible, and those morons had no clue.

Wash was fooling himself if he thought that they could possibly understand. If they could possibly be his friends.

She hadn't meant to lose her temper, but they were going to leave. They were going to abandon their mission because they were too lazy, stupid, and afraid.

They had no idea what a dangerous mission was. It was time for them to find out. To do something for the greater good.

But they wanted to leave. They said that it wasn't their problem and that they would not follow her anymore.

Carolina had pulled out her gun. She would teach these pathetic excuses for soldiers about obeying orders. She would make them listen. They would go distract those guards if she had to drag them there. They would complete this mission, whether they wanted to or not!

That was when she felt the gun on the back of her neck. She knew it was a shot that would pierce her protective armor and enter right into skull. She knew the shot would hit. Wash was always the best shot.

What she didn't know was why Wash had put a gun to her head.

Couldn't he tell that she was trying to get them more help? They had found the Director! He should want to take him down! It was what both of them had wanted for a long time! All that they had ever thought about!

"What are you doing?" she asked trying to keep the confusion and anger out of her voice.

"Protecting my friends," was the simple answer.

Friends? Carolina just didn't understand. Their friends were dead. All of them. Now they had the chance to take down the monster that was responsible for not only the death of their friends, but the death of their innocence and peace of mind!

And he wanted them to leave. He said that he wouldn't be responsible for any more of their problems.

The Director was the cause of all their problems! He wouldn't be causing any. He would be fixing them!

One by one, they all left. Leaving their mission, and their supposed friend Church behind.

Wash turned to Carolina, and she held her breath.

_'Had he realized how stupid he was being? Did he remember the importance of what they were doing?'_

No.

He turned to her and said, "I don't know what's gotten into you Carolina, but you better figure out the difference between your enemies and your friends."

Then he left. He just walked away. Walked away from the mission, and from her.

Those words were familiar to Carolina. Those were the exact words that she had told to Agent Texas, all those years ago.

The brief reminder of Tex made the freelancer's blood boil. She was not like her. She was better. A better soldier and a better friend.

She knew who her friends were. They weren't those useless Reds and Blues. It wasn't even Wash, not anymore.

They were North, South, CT, Maine, Church, and York.

Her enemy was the Director, the man who had taken them from her. The man who had tormented her. The man that she was never good enough to impress.

She knew the difference between enemy and friend. She just didn't have any more friends, except for Church.

It was Wash that needed to figure out who his real friends are. Who the enemy was, and remember exactly what he did.


	8. Church

**This chapter kinda turned into more of a Church-centric chapter than a Wash thing, but my beta/brother said that it was fine. So I posted it anyway. Hooray! I own nothing, please review. And thanks to all who do review. You are truly awesome people.**

* * *

'What the hell happened to him?'

Church stared after the formerly grey freelancer who now wore his old suit of armor. All the while wondering, What happened?

He sort of remembered meeting Agent Washington.

The first time was when he was implanted into the soldier's head. However, that didn't go over very well. Church, or Epsilon as he had been back then, hadn't had much of a chance to get to know him. He was fuzzy on the details, but from the way that he greeted Wash after seeing him for the first time in years, he was guessing that it didn't end well.

He had apparently met him back when he was the Alpha as well. The grey soldier had shown up at his base, with Caboose of all people, because he wanted the AI's help.

Apparently he was now on a mission because he knew about Omega. Church would not have gone with him, but he mentioned Tex. And Tex was the one person that he wanted to see most. He needed to find her, and Agent Washington was going to help lead him to her.

It would be a small price to pay to go on some stupid mission with the guy_. 'I mean how hard could it possibly be?'_ he had thought.

The answer was very. Very hard. Apparently all freelancer problems had to be as difficult as possible.

Wash had seemed crazy and ruthless at first. He shot that purple chick in the head when they had been sent to help her. He already had enough of that from Caboose. He didn't need two of them.

As it turns out the grey freelancer had been committed for a while, but had been let out because he was apparently better now. Church seriously doubted that seeing as he had shot the purple freelancer and gleefully destroyed her body.

Truly Agent Washington was a tough son-of-a-bitch, but that was what Church had expected. All freelancers were like that. Why would he be any different?

Whatever the situation, Agent Washington was the one in charge. He made the Reds come along on their suicide mission even though Church was certain that they would probably be better off without them.

But Agent Washington didn't listen to him. He did what he wanted to do. What he thought was best. He wasn't going to let them have any say in the matter whatsoever.

Church just assumed that that was what all freelancers were like too. After all, he had dealt with Tex all these years, and he had heard a lot about the freelancers and their project from her.

Then Wash had to go all vague and mysterious on him. Memory is the key? What the hell was that supposed to mean? Wash didn't tell him. Freelancers kept their secrets well.

Church had however trusted him enough to go with him. Obviously as the best soldier from Bloodgulch, he was the only one truly qualified.

If only that were the reason. As it turns out. Wash had wanted him to come so that he could drop what had to be the biggest bombshell of the cobalt Spartan's life.

He, Leonard Church, was the Alpha. He was an AI. Wash didn't beat around the bush, or try to soften the blow in any way. He just said it. Then he started to talk crazy. He wanted them to go take on the Meta and set off and EMP.

He wasn't going to go. This wasn't his fight. He wasn't an AI. He wasn't the Alpha. He was a ghost! The only reason he came was to find Tex, and that had turned out to be a bitter disappointment. No way was he going to risk his neck for a freelancer.

Wash had practically begged him to come. He said that if he didn't, if he continued to deny who he was without ever even trying to find out if it was true or not, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

The words stuck with Church. They made him think. And for the first time since Tex, he trusted a freelancer.

He faced the Meta with Agent Washington, and the Alpha part of him had left the world with the sweetest one liner ever. "I'm a mother-fucking ghost."

He didn't remember much after that. Hell, the only reason he even remembered that was he dug into his memory files a bit, and the guys had told him everything that was important.

After he had laser-faced Washington, he had kinda passed out. He had a small panic attack and used a lot of energy. Laser-facing wasn't easy. He deserved some rest, or so he told himself.

He woke up, and had a vision. He had been having those a lot so he and Caboose went off on their own. It was an interesting trip. They found Tex, got the crap beat out of them, learned their entire military life was a lie, he had found some interesting facts about the project and gone off on some weird mission with Tex.

He didn't understand it, but she was his girlfriend, he had to follow her.

She ended up shooting him, that stupid bitch, and laid out a trap for Wash and the Meta.

They fell for it, and the fight was horrible. There were guns, shit blew up, a cliff collapsed. Church saw it all from the ground where he lay shot.

The Meta stabbed Tex, it caught her in that stupid storage unit thing. Wash, still the badass that he was when Church had known him as the Alpha, demanded that he come with him.

He didn't want to go with Wash. He didn't care how tough and scary he and the Meta were. He would not go willingly.

That's when things fell apart. The Meta betrayed Wash and tried to kill him and take Church as his own. He really wanted AI. Wash fought him off the best he could, but he couldn't win.

The Meta was about to finish Wash off when lo and behold, his idiot "friends" showed up and apparently crushed the Meta.

He should have known it wouldn't be that easy. The Meta was hard to kill. Too bad it killed very easily. It had wounded Church and started to face off against Washington once again. This time though, it had to deal with a bunch of idiots from a boxed canyon.

By some miracle they managed to win. Church barely noticed. He had gone inside the unit to save Tex.

By the time he got out, he discovered that, not only had Wash survived the Meta again, his friends had helped hide him from the law and used him to take Church's place on Blue team.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Carolina a girl who might just be crazier than Tex shows up and demands that he help her find the Director.

Wash was on her side from the beginning. He agreed with her every time and tried to get everyone else to follow her order.

And Church though freelancers didn't listen to anybody.

Wash listened to Carolina. Called her boss too.

It was weird to see the man who wouldn't listen to anyone once, following every word of another person.

Carolina went off on some secret mission and Church, at everyone else's suggestion, followed her.

Turns out, she isn't the crazy bitch everyone thinks. She has layers. Kinda like Tex.

He and Carolina were friends after that, he helped her out the best that he could. However, there wasn't much to find after all that time had passed, and Carolina was getting kinda pissed.

After getting nowhere, she ordered Wash to get the rest of the guys ready to leave. Wash didn't really want to. He thought that they wouldn't like to leave their "home" so soon. Like he ever cared about that before.

Church could tell that he didn't want to do it, and for a second he thought that he might see a bit of the jerky, don't tell me what to do Wash, that he had known.

Nope. He seemed upset about it, but he still did it. And he still called her boss.

Church voiced it out loud, hoping to maybe get an answer. "Man, what the hell happened to that guy? Didn't he use to be a badass like you and Tex?" He didn't get an answer. Carolina just yanked him violently out of Shelia at the mention of Tex.

Without an answer, Church watched Agent Washington go find his friends. Wondering if they would ever see the take charge Wash again.


	9. Tucker

**I finally go around to writing that Tucker chapter that everyone's been wanting. Your welcome people of the internet. There was a joke about Wash technically being the new new Church, since Caboose already replaced Church once, but it just didn't fit in. I hope you like it and there might even be a Tucker 2 somtime in the future. I own nothing of the people i write about just the awesomeness of which i write them with.**

* * *

"Can we keep him?"

That was the question that Caboose asked Tucker, repeatedly.

The teal soldier wasn't sure.

Church wasn't going to come back and they could really use the extra help against the Reds. Even if they weren't even technically fighting any more.

Could Wash be trusted though? They had already trusted him once and that hadn't turned out well at all.

He didn't know much about Wash.

At least not as much as the rest of the guys did. While he was off in the dessert, dying of heat stroke and being attacked by some weird guy named CT, they had all gone on some weird mission to take down Project Freelancer and face off with the Meta.

On second thought, Tucker was pretty glad that he had been left out of that.

But of course, he had to get dragged into it eventually.

Tucker thought he was screwed. Obviously nobody was going to answer his distress call. That CT guy was working on breaking down the door, and he had no clue where Junior had run off to. Everything was just really great.

Then out of nowhere, his friends show up. Well, Caboose and two of the reds.

Tucker was really hoping for a better rescue team. At least Church could have showed up, but at this point, he would take what he could get.

It was weird that Church wasn't there though. Caboose was usually always with Church. Kinda like a loyal dog or a really needy girlfriend.

When he asked about it Caboose started talking about how Church was an AI and had gotten destroyed or something. If it weren't for the Reds agreeing, Tucker would have thought that the blue idiot was making it up.

While he was telling the Reds about how they shouldn't go activate the weapon or they all might die, Caboose went ahead and downloaded that Epsilon thing into it. Which just happened to act just like Church.

As if the weapon wasn't already bad enough.

The good thing was that the weapon didn't blow up and kill them. The bad news was that Church had gotten all of his knowledge from Caboose.

So basically the most dangerous weapon ever, was in the hands of an idiot.

It wasn't all bad. Even if he had no one but Caboose to talk to for a long time, Church still seemed to have retained his Churchness.

He was still a bit of a vain asshole.

Tucker wasn't exactly sure when or why, but the Reds went off for some reason and had apparently taken Church with them.

It was just like them to leave him alone with a bunch of crazy murderous aliens.

Then apparently once wasn't enough because they returned soon with Simmons in tow, only for Church to go off with Caboose on some crazy mission type deal.

Before they left however, he had learned a bit about Agent Washington. Apparently he was the guy that they had gone on the mission with.

He was back and apparently trying to kill them now for some reason with some big scary monster from hell.

Tucker was beginning to wish that he was dealing with CT again.

Agent Washington seemed like a bad guy. That was all that Tucker knew. That was all that Tucker needed to know. Washington was a bad guy, and he needed to be stopped.

After ditching the aliens, the teal soldier went off to find the rest of the guys.

He arrived just in time to get his ass kicked along with the rest of the guys by none other than Tex. She was back, again.

Apparently neither her or Church could just stay dead.

As if ditching them twice wasn't enough, Church left once again with Tex to do…. something. Tucker wasn't sure. They never told him anything.

And then as if life already didn't suck enough, turns out that all they are is cannon fodder. All the crap that they were put through back at that stupid canyon was practice for people like Tex, Wash, and the Meta.

Kind of a major letdown knowing your whole life was one big game.

While the red leader was moping about the discovery, Caboose had come running. Something about how they needed to go save Church or something.

Tucker didn't have anything better to do, and that speech that Sarge had given was pretty inspirational. Why not?

They arrived just in time. Apparently the Meta had double crossed a double crosser.

They saved Church and Washington, and everything had been fine. That is, until the Meta pulled a miraculous comeback and tried to kill everyone.

The only thing that saved them was Washington's plan.

Washington had helped save them.

Tucker wasn't sure what to think of the grey freelancer anymore. First he was apparently their friend. Then he tried to kill them. Now he helped them.

This guy just needed to make up his mind.

Church went into the unit and didn't come back out.

Washington just sat on the ground. Unsure of what was going to happen next.

Caboose walked over to Tucker with a question.

"Hey Tucker! Tucker! We should take Agent Washing-tub home with us! He can be the new Church! It will be great!" Caboose said excitedly.

Tucker stared dumbfounded at the blue Spartan for a minute.

"Caboose he tried to kill us! He betrayed you guys! It's his fault that Church is gone now! Why do you want to keep him?"

Caboose stared at him as if it should be obvious. "I try to remember only the good things about people. He helped us. It is only fair that we help him. Besides I want to keep him. I told him once that he could share my base. I cannot be a liar Tucker! Please. Please. Please. Please."

It took a lot of effort on Caboose's part and asking about a thousand more times but Tucker finally agreed.

They could keep the psychopath.

Tucker just hoped that it wouldn't come back and bite them in the butt.


	10. Tucker 2

**Yay! Tucker gets a sequel. To all of you who reviewed or favorited this story, you rock! I hope you like this little part 2 that I did for Tucker. To all of you that put in requests for chapters, I am working on them. If you want me to do a particular character, just say so in a review or pm me. I don't own RvB. I just write fanfics about it.**

* * *

He stood up for us.

Tucker stared at the former freelancer as he told Carolina off for trying to sacrifice them for some crazy mission.

Tucker couldn't believe that he stood up for them. He seemed as crazy and obsessed as Carolina was. Church said that he couldn't be trusted and Tucker had taken his word for it.

He may have helped keep Wash out of jail, but that didn't mean he trusted him. He did it because they needed to even the teams, and because Caboose's constant asking annoyed the crap out of him.

He just hoped that it wouldn't end like the last time they had trusted Wash.

That was when that Carolina chick had shown up.

At first Tucker was excited. There was a chick. He really liked chicks.

But of course, this chick had to be a psychotic bitch just like Tex. Apparently that was a universal law or something. Maybe Church was right. There is no such thing as a regular girl.

As if refusing to sleep with him wasn't bad enough, that crazy chick wanted their help on some crazy mission.

How they went from just standing around a canyon talking to going on crazy, life threatening mission, Tucker had no idea.

Tucker wanted to tell that Carolina chick that she could just go on that crazy mission by herself, but Wash had other ideas.

He wanted revenge on the Director just as much as Carolina and was going to help his old freelancer buddy as much as he could.

Caboose was going to go anywhere his new new best friend was going and Tucker just kinda got dragged along with them.

At least Carolina had bullied the Reds into coming with them. It would be nice to have soldiers who weren't completely crazy or stupid to talk to, but he guessed the Reds were close enough.

Tucker expected them to go straight to some base and shoot that director guy in the head, but as it turns out, that crazy freelancer chick didn't even know where he was.

She did have a way to find out though. They had to find the Alpha.

Tucker groaned, and he could swear he heard the reds say something along the lines of, "Not again."

Tucker briefly considered telling Carolina that 'Alpha' was technically destroyed by them, but when he started to say so, Wash elbowed him and shook his head.

"Trust me. You do not want to tell her that we're the ones that destroyed her objective," he muttered.

Tucker eyed the freelancer. He could swear there was almost a trace of fear on his face, though he could never be sure while the Spartan was wearing his helmet. If Wash was scared of telling Carolina the truth, then it must not be a good idea.

The teal soldier would trust him than much.

The mission to find Church again was even crazier than facing the Meta. They had to fight their way through hundreds of armed guards trying to kill them.

Why they went to so much trouble to keep Church, Tucker had no idea.

They finally got to Church and let him out, not that Tucker was there for it. Simmons was such a slow driver.

In true Church fashion, he was really pissed at them for rescuing him from life of imprisonment in a storage unit. He wouldn't stop complaining.

At least they were finally able to start on their stupid Director mission. Though by the way Carolina was flipping out on them for not knowing how to do actual military work, Tucker doubted that they would make it to the end of the mission.

As if it wasn't bad enough, they didn't bring a robot for Church to possess. So the only option was for Church to ride inside his storage unit. 'He just better not touch my home videos,' the teal Spartan had though bitterly.

Tucker was glad to have Church back. Even if he would never admit it, Church was a good leader and he seemed to know more about freelancers than anybody else.

Church said that they couldn't trust Carolina, and as long as Wash was with her, they couldn't trust him either.

Tucker just nodded his head. You couldn't trust freelancers. That was a fact. Look what happened with Tex and Wash. You trust them, make them a part of your team, and then it all just goes to hell.

Church was right. Even though they helped him stay out of jail and gave him a place on blue team, Wash wasn't one of them. He wasn't their friend.

They decided that they needed some information. So, they had the idea to put Church into Carolina's vehicle. He would go along with her and spy. Maybe they could finally know what the hell was going on.

It did not go the way they expected.

First they almost got caught when Carolina asked to talk to Church directly. Thankfully they managed to avoid that. Turns out they already knew the artifact Carolina wanted to know about. It was that stupid floating ball Church had lived in.

Though there was the slight chance that Carolina was going to kill them for losing it, they at least managed to keep Church hidden in the Mongoose.

That was when things really fell apart. Apparently, Carolina found out about Church, and instead of killing him, they ended up becoming friends.

So much for not trusting the freelancers.

It only got worse from there. Church insisted that Carolina was cool. 'She just had a rough past.' Church had said.

At least they were able to return to Valhalla. It wasn't much of a home to Tucker. After all, he'd never been there. But it was better than the desert. Tucker just wished that he had a better tour guide than Caboose.

Things completely fell apart when Carolina and Church called them for a meeting. Tucker assumed that they were going to move off to some other hell-hole to look for more clues as to where the Director was. However that wasn't the case.

They found him. Somehow they had found where the Director was hiding himself. Tucker couldn't believe it. Their mission was over. Finally, they could relax.

That was when things really got crazy. Carolina started talking about mission plans, and how they were going to be the distraction and take on all the soldiers guarding the base.

Tucker could not believe it. They didn't even want to help out that crazy bitch in the first place! And now she was trying to sacrifice them so she could get some stupid type of revenge?

Fuck that! The teal soldier shook his head. No way was he gonna die for some chick that wasn't even gonna sleep with him.

He wasn't the only one to disagree. Grif didn't want to die for their stupid mission either, and Tucker was sure that it was more for the fact that he knew how crazy the mission was. Not because the orange Spartan was lazy.

Well, maybe only a little bit cause he was lazy.

Carolina wasn't too happy about that. Neither was Church for that matter.

Tucker knew that Director screwed him over big time, but they were his friends. Weren't they more important?

Simmons and Sarge, for once, agreed with Grif. They weren't going to go along with Carolina and Church anymore.

Tucker had to agree with them. Church said that they couldn't trust Wash as long as he was with Carolina. Well as long as he was with her, they couldn't trust him either.

Carolina tried to regain control over the team in the only way she knew how. Violence.

She pointed her gun at Tucker, and the teal Spartan felt his breath hitch. He was so gonna die.

Then, something amazing happened. Just as Carolina pointed the gun to Tucker, Wash held his gun to Carolina's head.

Tucker could not believe it. Wash was saving him? Wasn't he supposed to be on board with the whole crazy Director plot?

It didn't matter though. Carolina lowered her weapon. Wash wasn't going to let her hurt his friends.

One by one, they all left. Church had betrayed them. He yelled at them, and blamed them for everything.

Once again they lost Church. Though this time, Tucker was kinda happy to replace him with Wash.

They should have trusted him all along.


	11. York

**This chapter is not like all the others. It turned more into a York joining Tex fic, but somebody requested a chapter with York, and I write chapters for requests. It may take forever, but I'll do it. Anyway, enjoy this chapter, and it's kinda offness.**

**Copyright thing. I don't own RvB**

* * *

'Is that Wash?'

York was sitting in the infirmary, still clutching Carolina's hand. He hadn't moved since they had brought her here early in the week.

He was half asleep when he was woken up by blood-curdling screaming. York bolted upright in his chair, and by instinct, gripped Carolina's hand tighter.

'What the hell?' York thought sleepily. 'That almost sounds like Wash.' York shook his head

'I must be crazy,' he thought. 'That can't be Wash.'

"Agent York, I must confirm that vocal recognition programs prove that that is indeed Agent Washington."

"What happened to him?" York asked confused.

"Perhaps his AI implantation did not go well," Delta suggested.

York shook his head. "That's insane! They wouldn't put another AI in someone's head after what happened to Carolina!" he insisted looking down at the teal Spartan.

They hadn't removed the AIs in her head yet out of fear of damaging her mind, but York hoped that they would remove the damned things as soon as she woke up.

Of course, she should have woken up days ago.

York shook his head again. "They wouldn't…"

The doors burst open, interrupting his sentence. Through them came Wash on a stretcher, screaming and thrashing like a madman.

"What the hell happened?" York asked, leaving Carolina's side for the first time in days to go stand by Wash's bedside. "Why is he screaming?"

"Agent Washington is having a bit of trouble adjusting to his new AI. It's nothing to worry about Agent New York," one of the medics that had brought Wash in said simply.

Without a word, another medic pulled a syringe out and jabbed it into the grey and yellow freelancer. "This will calm him down a bit," he explained to York.

With that done the medics left the room and left the freelancers alone.

York looked at Wash with a worried expression. Whatever the medics had given him had indeed calmed him down. Wash was no longer flailing and his bloodcurdling screams had died down to a slight whimper.

"You okay Wash?" York asked gently, afraid to set the younger man off on another fit.

Wash turned to York as if just realizing he was there.

"Oh hi York," he said in a quiet, tired voice. "How's Carolina doing?" he asked.

His eyes, usually vibrant and full of good humor, had a haunted tired look to them. He managed to smile weakly at the tan freelancer.

"She's the same," York said. "Still hasn't woken up, but any day now, she'll wake up and kick my ass for lounging around here in the infirmary for a week."

He laughed slightly just thinking about it before his expression once again turned somber.

"How's the AI?" York asked cautiously, knowing that it was most likely the cause of the problem.

"Epsilon?" Wash asked. "Epsilon, Epsilon is…fine. Perfectly fine. Just a little…nervous. Kinda like Theta was I guess." Wash swallowed and shivered a bit. "He's scared."

York gave a small humorous laugh. "They do get scared sometimes. Maybe Delta could help."

Wash looked doubtful, but said in a quiet voice. "Epsilon, come out here for a minute. Someone wants to meet you."

A tiny white figure appeared next to Wash's head. It was a nervous little AI, and only barely seemed to be keeping itself materialized.

"Okay D, let's see if we can get him to calm down," York said as Delta materialized next to his head.

"I will try," the green AI said moving closer to Epsilon.

This proved to be a mistake. As soon as Epsilon caught sight of Delta, whatever sense of control the AI had immediately left him.

The AI screamed. An eerie ear-splitting screech that reminded York too much of how the AIs had acted during the match between Tex and Carolina.

'Thank God Delta isn't freaking out again.' York thought.

The same couldn't be said for Wash. The AIs panicked screaming sent the gray and yellow freelancer off on another fit. He clutched his head and screamed.

"Allison!" one of them screamed. York couldn't be sure. Their voices seemed to mix and merge together into one horrible other-worldly voice.

"Allison!" it screamed again. "Couldn't save her! The pain won't stop! Why won't it stop! Why? Why is this happening to me? Why are you doing this?" The voice sobbed.

"Wash! Wash calm down!" Wash reached out a hand to touch the Spartan, but he screamed and pulled back, still clutching his head.

"D what's happening?" York asked helplessly. He had no clue what to do. This was just like what had happened with Carolina.

"I do not know York," the green AI said. "Perhaps it was not a good idea for me to materialize. My presence does not seem to be comforting Agent Washington's AI."

"I can see that!" York snapped.

The door to the recovery room opened, and York thought for sure that the medics had returned to calm Wash down again. However it was North that walked through the doors instead.

"Geez York! I came as soon as I heard. What the hell is wrong with him?" North exclaimed rushing over to Wash's side.

Unfortunately Theta chose that moment to materialize next to North's head.

"What's wrong with Agent Washington?" he asked curiously.

The additional AI only seemed to make matters worse. Epsilon's figure twitched and faded in and out.

"No! No! No! No!" he screeched. "You left! You were split apart! They made you leave! Why did they do that me? Why did they do that to Allison?"

Wash screamed and tried to curl into a small ball, still clutching his head in pain.

North and York exchanged worried glances.

"What's wrong with him?" North asked.

"I don't know," York said. "He was doing just fine. The AI was a bit freaked out, so D came out to try and comfort him like he did with Theta, and things just kinda fell apart."

"Keep them out of my head. I won't have any more of them in my head!" Wash begged.

"Agent York," Delta said coming towards the tan freelancer's head. "It might be best for Theta and I to retire. Our presence only seems to be making matters worse."

"Retire!" York snapped, and North told Theta to do the same thing.

"Only for a little bit," the purple freelancer promised as the AI faded out.

Unfortunately it seemed too late. Even after Delta and Theta retired, Wash and Epsilon still screamed.

Finally, the medics arrived once again to calm Wash down. This time, they knocked him out, and kicked North and York out of the infirmary.

York stayed outside the infirmary doors. He wasn't allowed back in, but he still didn't want to leave Carolina's side.

He had nearly fallen asleep outside the doors when they opened up again. To his surprise, it was Carolina who walked out.

"Carolina," he said surprised. He got to his feet and started to follow her.

"Carolina how are you feeling?" he asked. "Did they remove those AI from your head?"

Carolina turned and glared at him. "Why would they do that?" she snapped. "I am perfectly capable of handling them! That thing with Texas was just a fluke. I'm fine York!"

She turned and stalked off. "I'm going to go train. I've already lost a lot of time. I would do the same if I were you!" she called over her shoulder.

York shook his head. What was wrong with her? Those AIs caused her to go into a coma for nearly a week! How could he still want them in her head?

"She's crazy," a voice said from behind him. York turned around and saw Agent Texas. "She needs to have those things removed from her skull. Hell, maybe we all should."

York stared suspiciously at the back freelancer. "What do you want?" he asked cautiously.

"I need your help," Tex said cutting to the chase. "There are things you don't know about this project. Terrible things. Illegal things."

York had always had suspicions about the project's morality. Somehow, hearing it from Tex confirmed those thoughts.

"What do you want me to do about it?" York asked.

"I just need you to help me. I'm busting out of this joint, but I can't leave yet. I need to get something first."

"What?" York asked. "What's so important that you would go against the Director to get it?"

"What does it matter?" Tex asked irritably. "It's just really important, and I need to get it."

"I'm not going to help you unless you tell me what it is that we're busting in to get. Trust is a two way street Texas. If you want me to help, you need to tell me."

Tex hesitated for a minute before reluctantly pulling a dog tag out of her armor. "This will explain everything," she said. "If you want to help me after you see this, I'll be waiting in the locker room."

York took the dog tags and went to examine what was on the dog tags.

What the project had done, was horrible. York could not believe that he had helped cause so much pain and destruction.

He got up from the chair he was sitting in and went off to the locker room to find Tex. He was going to help right the wrongs that had done.

He was going to help Tex break out the Alpha.

What the project had done to it wasn't right. What happened to Carolina and especially Wash as a result of it was just sick.

Carolina had always been hardworking, but now she was obsessed.

Wash was carefree, but now. Now he was crazy and screaming. If Wash could come out of this with his sanity unscathed, York would be surprised.

As he was on his way to the locker rooms, Tex ran past him. He quickly ran after her.

She stopped briefly and looked at him. York handed her the dog tag.

"I'll help," he said simply.

"Thanks," she said. "Means a lot to me. We'll have to reschedule the break-in though. I kinda ran into a bit of trouble."

Tex ran off down the corridor.

York looked after her retreating figure. 'Trouble?' he thought.

'We're all going to be in trouble,'

Regardless of how much trouble he would get in for the break-in, York knew he had to do it.

He had to do the right thing. He was a good guy after all.


	12. Meta-Maine

**Sorry for the lateness of this update. It was hard writing Maine. T_T But my editor (also known as my brother) said this was acceptable. I hope you like it and leave me a review. **

**I own nothing of RedvsBlue.**

* * *

The gun went off as Agent Washington shot the pink soldier in the head.

The maroon soldier started screaming his head off immediately.

'Wuss,' Maine or the Meta as he was now known thought. "Acting like he's never seen a soldier get killed before."

Granted the soldier was his teammate, but still. Meta had seen many of his comrades die and not felt a thing about it.

Of course he had been the one to kill them. Still, the maroon Spartan was weak.

Speaking of weak former teammates.

Meta glanced over at the gray freelancer who showed no emotion as the maroon soldier leaned over his dead friend screaming for him to help.

Years ago, Sigma had told him of the horrors of Project Freelancer and convinced him of the power they could gain by finding the other AIs and reuniting with the Alpha.

He was no longer Agent Maine. They were the Meta.

They were going to hunt down every single AI. They were going to become whole again. They could gain metastability.

All that they needed to do was get rid of those pesky Freelancers and anyone who stood in the way of their goal.

Agent Washington was one of those people.

Meta had known Wash back before he was 'enlightened.'

The kid hadn't seemed much like a freelancer when they first met. He had been as nervous and skittish as a little kid.

He was just leaning against the wall, minding his own business, when some Spartan in gray and yellow armor had come walking up to him and started talking a mile a minute.

The gray soldier was Agent Washington, or Wash as he was apparently nicknamed, and he was his new roommate.

Meta smirked a little remembering the nervous ramblings of the Spartan.

Yes, Wash certainly didn't seem like the freelancer type when he had first met him.

Of course he wouldn't have been chosen for the project if he wasn't skilled in some way. Wash was a good shot. Made up for the fact that he was a shitty fighter.

Still, Wash had always been different.

A little more light hearted than most. Kinda naïve about things and sometimes a little clumsy.

He didn't seem that way anymore. Wash seemed cold and heartless, willing to do whatever it takes to reach his goals, no matter who he hurt. The way a freelancer should be.

Maybe Epsilon was why he was so different. No one knew better than him how having an AI in your head could change you.

Years passed after he left the project, and Meta wasn't really sure what had happened with Wash. He had heard that he had problems with his AI, but he didn't really expect it to be as bad as it had apparently been.

They had been searching for AIs when he saw the gray Spartan again for the first time in years.

The fool actually tried to stop them from doing their work. It was laughable really.

Wash could never beat Maine back in his freelancer days. Now they were the Meta, and they were a whole lot stronger now.

Of course, thanks to Agent South, that was unnecessary. She shot Wash in the back before they even got the chance to show just how strong they'd become.

The purple Spartan had managed to make off with their brother though. They should have killed her when they had the chance.

From there they'd gone off to where they knew Gamma and Omega would be. They could worry about Delta later. They wouldn't get another chance to get Omega.

After Gamma and Omega had been reunited with them, they went to go find Delta. They needed their logic after all.

The green AI was in possession of that horrible Agent South, who cared only for her own safety and not that of their brother. She was planning to abandon him to them so that she could get away.

She would have, that is, if those simulation troopers hadn't shown up. And who should be with them but Agent Washington.

The kid was one hell of a survivor. It really shouldn't have been surprising that he'd managed to live.

He wasn't going to be so lucky again.

He may have escaped, and taken the Delta AI with him and those idiotic blue soldiers, but they would find him.

They were the Meta and there was nowhere that he could hide.

The battle had taken its toll though. They were stronger but not invincible. They used up a lot energy fighting, and needed to recharge.

While they were recharging, Wash managed to find them.

It was a foolish mistake really. The red's intervention gave them the perfect opportunity to reunite with their lost brother.

He hadn't really wanted to come, but they had convinced him. They always did.

They finally got an opportunity to kill Agent Washington. The gray freelancer could finally see what great power they possessed.

The agent was close to the end. All it would take was the final blow, but he couldn't do it.

As they ran, they tried to write it off as worry that the simulation soldiers would have caught up to them and they needed to get Delta, but a slight memory of his meeting with Wash played through his mind.

At last they were almost whole. All they needed was the Alpha. Then they could be complete and gain metastability. They could finally be considered human.

Who better to follow to his location than Agent Washington? It was so easy. He didn't seem to suspect that they might be tailing him.

He must have figured it out at some point though. He actually thought that they would be fooled by his little decoy. He thought he could keep them away from what was rightfully theirs.

They wouldn't be fooled though. They followed the freelancer inside of the base. Stalking once again.

Inside, there was no Alpha! They had been tricked!

Washington was trying to set off an EMP to destroy them!

With a roar, Meta charged at Agent Washington, only to be stopped by a forefield.

He howled again and beat at the shield.

Wash could not do this to them! He couldn't be allowed to destroy him!

The Director's voice sounded above them, but they paid no attention to him. They no longer listened to the Director. Not after what he did.

The forcefield opened and Meta growled in surprise and suspicion.

Apparently freelancer didn't want Agent Washington to succeed either.

Meta quickly shot at Wash and advanced on him. Former roommate or not, he was going to die.

But before they did any favors for the Director, they needed to find the Alpha.

The AI in his head spoke. "Where is the Alpha?" they asked.

"The Alpha is not here. It has been moved far away. Attend to the matter at hand," the Director demanded.

The Councilor immediately soothed things over.

"Agent Maine what the Director's trying to say, is we can discuss the Alpha later. What's important, is that you prove that you can be trusted again. We need to trust you before letting you meet the Alpha. Wouldn't you agree?" he asked calmly.

However, Agent Washington had other ideas.

"You know Meta, why wait? Why don't you meet him, right now?" he asked, his voice laced with pain.

That was when they saw him. The Alpha! He was here! They could finally be whole again!

The AIs flashed around Meta's head. All of them crying out in joy as the Alpha rushed to join them in Meta's head.

The pain was unbearable. He could hardly move. All of those voices crying out in his head all at once. All of them thinking at once. It was too much!

It wasn't a problem for long. The EMP went off and all of the voices went silent.

Meta, he could no longer call himself Maine, came to hours later inside of a concrete bunker cell.

He probably would have remained there forever had it not been for Wash.

Wash had made a deal with the Chairman to retrieve an AI in exchange for freedom, and Meta had just gotten dragged along.

It was weird working with his former roommate again. After all those years, it was weird working with another human being.

It was even weirder considering how much both of them had changed. Meta had been 'enlightened', no longer working along those who had caused them..him…them so much pain, and Wash had been destroyed, broken mentally and emotionally by one of the Director's projects.

If Wash felt weird about it, he didn't show it. He didn't show any emotion now.

They went to the simulation base and found the red team.

The maroon one was the only one useful to them, the other two were expendable.

It made perfect sense to just shoot them.

He just didn't think Agent Washington had the guts to do it.


	13. North

**Finally done with the North chapter! Kinda hard to write, but I'm satisfied with the way it turned out. And thanks to my big brother for helping me out when I was stuck at the end. Read and review please. **

**I don't own RvB, Rooster Teeth does.**

* * *

North waited patiently in the recovery room with South for Wash to wake up.

It had been days since the grey Spartan had been knocked out, and North was starting to worry.

How could an AI implantation have gone so wrong?

The worst anyone else had had were a few headaches. Maine seemed to be suffering from constant migraines, but that was supposed to be about as bad as it could get.

Well, maybe not for Carolina.

North could still remember her screaming and clutching her head in agony. Hers had been pretty bad, but it was nothing compared to Wash's.

Carolina had started out fine. She even wanted a match with Tex. Wash, on the other hand, fell apart at the start.

They shouldn't have implanted anymore AIs in agents after what happened with Carolina, but they had gone ahead and put one in Wash's head.

It hadn't gone well if how Wash had been acting when North went to see him later was any indication.

Wash had been freaking out when North had first come to see him.

He had been screaming, flailing, and begging them to not put another AI in his head. Epsilon was freaking out as well. North had though Theta was a skittish AI, but Epsilon was something new altogether.

He and York had been kicked out of the infirmary for "upsetting the patient", and that was the last time he had seen Wash even vaguely lucid.

Wash had still been unconscious a week later. They only gave him a small dosage of morphine to put him under for the rest of the night, but Wash didn't wake up.

They said that the implantation process had been especially straining for both him and Epsilon. Both just needed a nice rest, and he should be fine when he woke up.

As with everything lately, they were wrong.

North was sitting in a chair besides Wash's bed talking to Theta inside his head. He knew better than to let Theta out around Wash again.

They were just discussing the incident that had with Tex a week ago.

She had supposedly run off because there was talk of removing the AIs from people's head.

As if her running off wasn't bad enough, she had also supposedly attacked Wyoming and attempted to steal his AI and equipment.

Gamma had managed to escape by ejecting himself out of Wyoming's head and into the mainframe. He hadn't returned back to his host and his ejection had caused slight damage to Wyoming's psyche, but the AI had been kind enough to call for help and prevent the theft of the British freelancer's equipment.

Wyoming was still knocked out and couldn't confirm that it was indeed Tex who had attacked him, but the black Spartan had been seen in the locker room where the attack had been.

Her running off didn't help matters either.

South was positive it was her, but North wasn't so sure. He and Theta were just discussing the reasons why Tex wouldn't do it when Wash moaned slightly.

The grey and yellow Spartan was thrashing around a bit, moaning in his sleep words that vaguely sounded like Allison.

"Wash?" he asked tentatively. Theta flashed waves of concern in the back of his mind but didn't project his hologram.

Wash moaned a little louder and turned slightly towards North at the sound of his name.

"Hey Wash? You feeling any better?" he asked. "You were out for about a week. Is Epsilon doing any better?"

Wash wailed a high pitched whiny wail, and it took North a minute to realize that it was Epsilon wailing not Wash.

"I'm not fine!" Epsilon screeched his voice grating. "I'll never be fine again! She's gone! I'm gone! I'll never be whole again! I trusted them and they tore me to pieces!" The AI seemed to be sobbing uncontrollably.

"It's going to be fine Epsilon," North said uncertainly. "Wash won't hurt you. He'll protect you, and then you two can go off and do great things."

The AI showed himself finally, projecting himself from Wash's armor. He shook and fizzled in and out muttering, "They lie. They lie. They always lie."

"I'm not lying," he protested. He was always so good at calming Theta down. Why couldn't he calm down Epsilon?

"You're lying!" Epsilon accused. "They lie. I hurt. That's how it goes. That's how it always goes."

Wash was thrashing around violently at this point and clutching his head, but the freelancer made no sounds. Epsilon had taken complete control.

"There's only one way. I have to end the cycle," Epsilon said bleakly, talking more to himself than North.

The AI retreated back into the armor, and Wash finally seemed to come to.

Shakily, he sat up.

"Where am I?" he said looking at North. "What's going…."

Wash never managed to finish his sentence.

Suddenly there was a strange sound that North had never heard before.

Epsilon had self-destructed in Wash's head.

The pain must have been unbearable if the screams coming from Agent Washington were any indication.

The medics came rushing in at the sound and North couldn't help but wonder where the hell they had been when Epsilon was freaking out.

North was once again kicked out of the infirmary as the medics assessed the extent of Wash's injuries.

North shook his head in amazement.

Epsilon had just committed suicide.

North didn't even know that was possible let alone what would happen if an AI committed suicide inside of an agent's head.

He really hoped that Wash would be alright.

The next time it only took two days for Wash to wake up.

For someone who just had his AI self-destruct in your head, after already robbing you of a few sanity points, North figured that was pretty good.

This time though, South went with him. She claimed she was only going so North could have somebody sane to talk with, but North knew she wanted to see Wash.

Whether it was to see if he was alright or yell at him for ruining the AI implantation program, North didn't know. He was just happy for the company.

Usually he would have taken York with him, but the tan freelancer was nowhere to be found.

This worried North a bit. All of his friends seemed to be disappearing on him, whether they were off on mysterious business, hospitalized, or a fugitive from the law.

Wash finally came to and North was relieved that he wasn't screaming anymore. He actually seemed vaguely normal.

He managed to have a semi-normal conversation before things went to hell again.

One minute he was arguing with South over whether Tex was really a bad guy or not when suddenly, an alarm went off.

'Tex is back,' Theta whispered in his head sounding a bit too gleeful given the situation.

Without a word, South bolted out of the infirmary determined to stop Tex.

"South wait!," North called after his sister.

Cursing, the purple Spartan began to follow his twin out of the infirmary but stopped short when he noticed Wash was trying to get out of bed and follow him out.

"Whoa! Where do you think you're going?" he asked pushing the grey freelancer back onto the bed. "You need to stay here," he said sternly in a tone Wash had only ever heard him use on South.

"What!" Wash exclaimed trying to push himself off the bed, but was overcome by a headache and leaned back into the bed. "I have to go. The alarm sounded. All personnel have to report," he mumbled.

North shifted uncomfortably and looked down at the floor.

"I don't know if they were gonna have a medic tell you or something when you were up to it, but your certified Article Twelve Wash. You're not gonna be going on any missions for awhile."

Wash looked at the purple Spartan in shock.

"What!" he yelled in a tone North had never heard him use before. "How could they do that? I'm perfectly fine!"

As if to prove that he was capable, Wash tried get out of the bed and stand up, but was overcome with a major headache and fell to the floor.

North reached out to help him back onto the bed, Wash flinched and smacked his hand away

"Stay away from me! Just go on your mission and leave me the hell alone!" he snarled shrinking back into the floor. "Don't trust them. They hurt. They lie." Wash muttered putting his hands over his head and squeezing as if he could squeeze all the pain out. "They hurt. They lie."

North stared at his friend unsure what to do. Finally, North decided to go find South before she made a mess.

The gray freelancer was too far gone. He would never be the same agent he once was. Not after an experience like that.

"Hey Theta you listening buddy?"

"Of course North i'll always be there for you" the purple AI replied

"Be sure to warn me if you ever start to feel as if you're starting to go screwy like Epsilon, okay? Because I already have enough on my plate with South to worry about the second most important purple soldier in my life."

* * *

**I want your opinion guys. You guys want a Wash chapter, and I wasn't sure if I shouldn't just make an entire fic dedicated to Wash alone since he has so many moments. What do you guys think?**


	14. Grif

**Wahoo! I finally got around to writing another chapter. I've given up on a Wash chapter for the time being. It's just not happening any time soon. If you have any requests just review and tell, or you can review without a request, it really doesn't matter. **

**I don't own RedvsBlue. RoosterTeeth does. **

**This chapter if for ColdWillo who requested I write Grif. ^_^**

* * *

Grif sighed.

He should be happy. Sure Church had yelled at them and wanted to sacrifice their lives, but Wash had prevented Carolina from shooting Tucker and dragging them on some crazy suicide mission. For them that was pretty good.

However the new addition to blue team was kind of making their life hell.

Blue team, well really Wash, had snuck into to their base and stolen everything they had. Even their stupid flag. As if they needed any reminder of the last time somebody had stolen one.

It wasn't fair that blue team got another freelancer on their team! Not to mention a freelancer who did stuff for free!

Wash seemed different now, and Grif was really starting to wonder if maybe the ex-freelancer was bi-polar.

The only other freelancer they had known was Tex, a kick-ass, ball-busting, bitch who might have made them do gay stuff if she'd ever called in that stupid favor. So it wasn't much of a surprise that the only other freelancer they met was a complete asshole.

What was surprising was that he didn't kill them after they messed up their attack against that Meta guy. He just made them come with him on some crazy mission, and changed his rank to some stupid non-existing one.

Though that was more Sarge's fault.

The mission was stupid, they mostly just stood around and talked while Wash and Church did stuff. Though they did have to protect Caboose while he drove some robot thing to safety. Even though the moron did drive off a cliff.

They didn't see Wash after that. Grif figured he'd gotten a medal or died or something, and the best they could do was just relax and do nothing. It's what Wash would have wanted.

And they would have continued doing nothing. If only Donut didn't show up with his stupid sand mission. Granted he did volunteer to go find Tucker, but he really figured Simmons would do the work for him like he always did. Kiss-ass.

Figures that the maroon soldier would pick that time to rebel and leave him to go on the stupid mission with Sarge and Caboose while he relaxed with Donut and Lopez.

So they went out and saved Tucker from whatever the hell he had gotten himself into and they even brought Church back. Everything seemed great. Things could finally get back to normal.

Then Wash had to return and go all psycho on them, killing Donut and Lopez, and taking Simmons and Doc prisoner.

Figures. They couldn't catch a freaking break!

It wasn't so bad. He did get to hit the asshole with a car.

Of course he didn't even scratch the psycho freelancer, and the bigger, scarier freelancer totaled it, but then again, they never did have much luck with it came to that car.

Thankfully Church went all laser-face on the pair of Spartans, and they managed to escape. Even if they did kind of break the blue, all in all it was a win, well by their standards.

The journey home was uneventful though he did manage to get Simmons to walk into a minefield when they got back.

The orange soldier was hoping that now that they had their teams all together again, they could finally stop going on crazy, stupid missions.

Then of course the blues had to go on yet another crazy mission, and as they apparently had no lives outside of the blues, they followed them to some weird freelancer base where he had his balls brutally bashed, repeatedly, by the same black armored bitch that had terrorized them back in Bloodgulch.

Obviously there were no nice freelancers.

Shit really hit the fan when they found out that they were just guanine pigs for Project Freelancer. It wasn't really a surprise to Grif. He always knew command was full of shit, but it was still kind of disheartening to know he was drafted for a fake war.

So when he found out that the blues, well one of them and his crazy, bitch girlfriend, had gone out on yet another crazy mission and gotten hurt, he honestly didn't want to go. However, Sarge's speech was pretty inspiring and it's not like they had anything better to do.

So that's how he ended up getting stuck flying a Pelican to Sidewinder. Except for the crashing part, it was pretty awesome.

Luckily the bigger, scarier, freelancer broke their fall. Even luckier was that Wash had calmed down a bit and didn't kill them on sight.

Then of course, since nobody ever seemed to stay dead, the Meta had to come back and nearly drag him off a cliff, but he got a kick-ass new weapon out of it, so it wasn't so bad.

Then the stupid blue had to go and get himself stuck in the capture unit leaving an open spot on blue team, and unfortunately there was only one person available.

Wash.

Grif wasn't entirely sure if they could trust the former freelancer after all he'd done, but Wash seemed to be just as messed as they were, and he did help them out with that tow cable. Besides, it's not like they could stop him.

The orange Spartan hoped that the new blue leader would be way better than the last one.

Turns out he was exactly the same.

He got his team into a dangerous situation not even a week later. Some other female freelancer had him completely whipped, and for some reason he took them along too. It seemed the blues couldn't go on any mission with them. Cockbites.

Either way they ended up going on yet another mission to rescue Church. Apparently they couldn't do anything with him either.

The mission was long and annoying, and Grif kept going back and forth on whether Wash was on their side or not.

They were a team, but then he betrayed them. Meta betrayed him and he helped them fight him off. Crazy freelancer chick shows up, and suddenly he's their enemy again. Carolina leaves and he's a bit less of an ass.

'What was this dude's deal?' Grif thought. 'He should just pick something and stick with it!'

To be honest, the orange Spartan wasn't sure about any part of this mission. He was a resident slacker. Why was he trying so hard now for a mission that he wasn't even sure he believed in? Hell, even Sarge thought the plan was stupid.

Then Church and Carolina called them for a meeting, and Grif started wondering if he was wondering if the right blue was on their side.

Church wanted them to go on a suicide mission just so they could get to the Director, and said they should do it because they owed him!

'If anything that dick owed them!' Grif thought.

He turned around to walk away, and he suspected everyone was about to do the same. That's when Carolina pointed a gun at Tucker.

It's also when Wash pointed a gun at Carolina and told her he wouldn't let her hurt them.

Maybe all freelancers weren't complete asshole. It was more than Church ever did.

Grif sighed.

Wash was definitely on their side, but he was a blue, and he was going to help Tucker and Caboose "fight" or whatever they did in this made-up war. However there was one thing that he found funny, I only a little bit.

"I just want to let everyone know that I suck," he heard Simmons say, and he couldn't help but think that that really was the greatest surrender of all time.


	15. Tex

**That's right, I wrote a second chapter. I feel so accomplished! I hope it is acceptable, even if it is shortish. Writing this I realized Tex and Wash have had almost zero interactions. Minus fights to the death. :p **

**I don't own RedvsBlue. **

**This chapter is for missmoney101 who requested that I do Tex.**

* * *

Tex tried to tune out the sound of Church's wining as she readied her traps for Agents Maine and Washington.

Her memories weren't exactly perfect, but she remembered enough to know they were the ones who could answer all the questions, or at least lead her to the Director.

From what she could remember Maine, or the Meta as he was known know, wouldn't be a good source of information. He was never much of a talker to begin with, and he was too tough for torture to work.

Washington would be perfect though. From what she remembered of him, he was always weaker than all the other freelancers, and he never could seem to shut-up.

He seemed to be one of the most immature soldiers that she had met, well besides those Bloodgulch idiots. He had pictures of kittens in his locker for crying out loud!

He wasn't too bad of a soldier though, not like any of those simulation idiots though he was about as mature as one. Shitty at hand-to-hand combat, but was a pretty good shot.

The main thing she remembered was that he was by the books. Following every order issued to him dutifully. He was never the type to disobey authority or go rouge.

That's why the guys' memories were so confusing.

The Wash they knew was bitter and hardened. More like a freelancer should be as opposed to the dork she remembered. He didn't joke, didn't try and make small talk, didn't try and make friends, and Tex tried to rack her memories for reasons why.

She had left the project because she had figured out what the Director was doing. Figured out that she wasn't what she thought. Though she hated to admit it, she did it for Church as well.

Wash hadn't left the project. North and York had helped her, South and Wyoming tried to stop her, Carolina had died trying to beat her, but Wash hadn't been in any part of the break-in.

He'd been hospitalized after a botched AI implantation, the one who was currently wining about his little gun wound.

Church, or Epsilon as he'd been known back then, was the memories of Alpha's torture. She'd been worried about the kid before he'd gone under for surgery, but she never figured out what happened with him.

Apparently finding out about the Director's misdeeds by reliving them, rather than a memory card as she'd done, did messed up things to a person's head.

She had to give Wash props though. It took props to nurse a grudge for so long, and then when the moment was right, take your revenge and bring down Project Freelancer.

Of course he had apparently killed the original copy of both her and AlphaChurch, but that still took major guts, and Tex couldn't help but give the grey and yellow freelancer props. It definitely wasn't something the Wash she had known would have done.

The guys weren't sure what had happened to Wash, but Simmons mentioned something about prison. Apparently the Wash had bitched about it a bit while he had taken the maroon soldier hostage.

Whatever had gone on during his incarceration, Wash was no working with the Meta, and he would stop at nothing to capture Church, including betraying the people who thought he was their friend.

It was true, Agent Washington had apparently changed since she'd, or at least some form of her, had seen him. He'd gone from being the rookie of the freelancers, to being one of the only ones who'd managed to survive. He'd gone from being the wide-eyed idealist, to being cynical and mistrusting, the light in his eyes having gone off long ago.

Tex tried to focus her mind as she'd readied the last of the mines. She couldn't be distracted, different personality or not, he was still the same agent he'd been back at the project, bad at close combat, good with guns.

The guys' stories about Wash were so different than what her memories told her he should be, and she wasn't sure if it was her memories or those idiots' stories that was wrong. Maybe Washington really had changed, or maybe the guys were just intimidated by any freelancer and too stupid to realize the difference between a dangerous one and one who wasn't much of a threat.

She saw their car drive closer, and she went to go hide. She guessed she was about to find out.


End file.
